Your baby’s physical skills help them show you what they like

The neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett says, 'We have the kind of nature that requires nurture.’

Sharing attention, which simply means looking at and thinking about the same thing as another person, is an important part of nurture, and one that you probably provide many times every day without even thinking about it.

You show your baby what is interesting in the world around them by looking at interesting things and commenting on the things you see. They have probably shown you their interests by looking, wriggling or making excited sounds. Now, as your baby’s physical skills develop, they have another way to show you what they are interested in, and what they like.

They do this by turning, reaching and moving towards something

They might turn towards a toy or object that they would like to explore, or reach towards a toy during tummy time. When you respond by looking at the same toy or object, or making a comment about it, you help your baby make and strengthen connections in their brain.

It might be hard to resist the temptation to help as soon as you notice what they are reaching or moving towards, but simply smiling and encouraging them as they keep trying will give them more chance to develop their skills.

Reference:
Feldman Barret, L. (2021). Seven and a half lessons about the brain. Picador